User-created list
American Astronaut Names
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Norman
English
"northerner, Norseman"
Norman, perhaps because it sounds so much like the word 'normal', conjures up the image of a normal-looking guy with a normal kind of job-- not necessarily an image many modern parents seek for their…
Pierre
French variation of Peter
"rock, stone"
One of the most familiar — if not stereotypical — Gallic names. Pierre was a Top 5 name in France from the 19th century through 1940 and is now on a steady decline in its native land. In the US,…
Clifton
English
"place on a cliff"
A less-used cross between Clifford and Clinton.
Christa
Short form of Christina
Fading since the 1970s -- but still a lovely name.
Jasmin
Variation of Jasmine, a Persian flower name
"jasmine flower"
Jasmin doesn't have the grace of Jasmine (which in 2016 ranked at 122 in the US Top 1000), but it is far more preferable to the trendier versions doing the rounds like Jazmin or Jazzmyn. If you are…
Loral
Sally
Diminutive of Sarah
"princess"
Sally is a cheerful, fresh-faced girl-next-door name that was originally a nickname for Sarah, but has long been used independently. Sally was popular in the eighteenth century and then again from…
Tamara
Hebrew
"date palm tree"
Adding a final a to Tamar lends it a more sensual Slavic tone, making it a more popular choice than the original.
Wendy
English, Celtic, Welsh
"friend or white"
It is popularly claimed that the name Wendy was invented by Sir James Barrie in 1904 for the big sister character in his play Peter Pan , which was followed by the classic novel in 1911. Barrie…
Yvonne
French
"yew wood"
Peaking in the 1950s, Yvonne has now dropped out of the Top 1000 in 2003 and doesn't look set to return soon, although its rare Y initial might endear it to some. Yvaine, from Neil Gaiman's Stardust…
Zena
Variation of Xenia, Greek
"guest, hospitality"
Familiar through the similarly pronounced TV Warrior Princess, Xena, this name ultimately derives from the Greek Xenia, meaning "guest, foreigner, hospitality". Familiar in the early 19th century in…
Sunita
Hindi and Sanskrit
"good character, wise"
Sunita is an easily-translated name brought to the American lexicon by astronaut Sunita "Suni" Williams, who holds the record for most spacewalks by a woman.
